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Pantos at Christmas are all, 'He's behind you', booing and, 'Oh no you didn't' - aren't they?

Well no, not all of them. If you fancy something a little different to get yourself in the festive mood, then Philip Pullman's Puss in Boots could be just the ticket.

The award-winning author, and creator of His Dark Materials Trilogy, has given Norwich's Maddermarket Theatre personal permission to stage his version of the play – the first time it's been performed since it was originally commissioned in 1997.

Wonderful transformation

For this production, director Peter Sowerbutts has wonderfully transformed the theatre. As we walk in, the star of the show is curled up on the stage which is a perspective-defying slope towards the audience.

The tale is simple: A miller leaves his seemingly useless windmill to his son Louis (Christian de l'Argy). To his other son Jacques (Tom Girvin) he leaves his cat Puss (David Blood) who soon reveals his true flamboyant colours!

Puss persuades his master to spend his last pennies on knee-length black boots, a long flowing purple coat and a feather-topped hat.

The mischievous Puss then leads Jacques on a series of adventures in his mission to help him out of his impoverished situation and make the Princess (Eleanor Hicks) fall in love with him.

Ravishing

Cue a happily-ever-after? That would be telling, but first the haughty Princess is kidnapped by the evil Ogre (Trevor Burton) who is determined to ravish her – oh, along with any food that comes his way!

The adventures which follow through the Wild Forest, the Ghoul-Haunted Wasteland of Warg and the Plain of Broken Glass are full of surprises.

With a terrific story and a magical used of the Maddermarket stage, Puss In Boots is a great production for all the family and makes for a pleasing alternative to the rich diet of more traditional panto fodder to found in the rest of the county.

Puss In Boots runs at the Maddermarket Theatre, Norwich, until Wednesday, 2 January, 2008. For more details call 01603 620917.